Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has endorsed Ambassador Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki as his preferred successor ahead of the governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress scheduled for Thursday.
The governor announced his decision in a personally signed statement released on Tuesday, days before party delegates are expected to vote for the APC governorship candidate for the 2027 election in the state.
In the statement, AbdulRazaq described Yahaya Seriki as a loyal party man with strong grassroots support across Kwara. He said the endorsement followed consultations with party leaders and structures across the state.
“Following extensive consultations with party structures and leadership, I am pleased to endorse Ambassador Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki (MFR) as my preferred successor under the platform of our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC),” the governor said.
He further praised the APC chieftain for his political influence and relationship with residents of the state.
“Young, pro-people, astute, and broad-minded, Amb. Yahaya Seriki has been a great political mobiliser with profound investments in and extensive goodwill among the people of Kwara State. I have no doubt about his capacity, and I believe his choice is appropriate for the people of our state at this time,” he added.
AbdulRazaq, however, maintained that other aspirants remain free to participate in the primary election. He urged party stakeholders to support Seriki in the interest of unity and continuity within the ruling party in the state.
“While this does not in any way preclude other aspirants from contesting in the primaries, I urge members and leaders to affirm the choice of Seriki as our candidate for cohesion, unity, and the continuous success of the party,” the statement added.
The governor also appealed to aggrieved members to remain committed to the APC, stressing that the decision was not meant to undermine the ambition of other contenders in the race.
“The choice of Amb. Yahaya Seriki is neither a disapproval of any of our eminently qualified aspirants nor a whimsical attempt to delegitimise the noble aspirations of our people. But in a race involving some 16 great minds for one office, only one person can take the shot at a time,” he stated.
AbdulRazaq went on to commend the aspirants for maintaining discipline throughout the consultation process. According to him, the contestants have shown capacity and readiness to sustain the achievements recorded by his administration over the last seven years.
The endorsement is expected to shape the outcome of Thursday’s APC governorship primary, especially as AbdulRazaq remains one of the most influential political figures in Kwara politics.
Yahaya Seriki, a businessman and longtime APC stakeholder in the state, has played major roles in party mobilisation and election campaigns in recent years. His growing political profile has fueled speculations for months about possible backing from the governor’s camp.